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Seven Tenths of a Second: Life, Leadership and Formula 1
Pre-order this enthralling account from Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, tackling life and leadership in the high-stakes world of Formula 1.
Zak Brown led one of F1’s most iconic teams to the 2024 Constructors’ Championship after over a quarter of a century. McLaren Racing’s return to the top has gone hand in hand with a well-earned reputation for team harmony, fairness, and loyalty. Now Zak’s chosen to invite readers in to experience it for themselves, with all the honesty, conviction, and good humor he has brought to leading one of the most storied teams in motorsport back to the front of the grid.
Seven Tenths of a Second will take readers behind the scenes and into the paddock and boardroom to explore how the team has fought its way back to the top under Zak’s leadership, and shine a light on what it takes to succeed in a sport that constantly pushes the boundaries of technology, innovation, and engineering.
Sharing stories and lessons acquired through a life in motorsport, Seven Tenths of a Second will offer unprecedented insights into life at McLaren Racing and beyond.
Zak Brown led one of F1’s most iconic teams to the 2024 Constructors’ Championship after over a quarter of a century. McLaren Racing’s return to the top has gone hand in hand with a well-earned reputation for team harmony, fairness, and loyalty. Now Zak’s chosen to invite readers in to experience it for themselves, with all the honesty, conviction, and good humor he has brought to leading one of the most storied teams in motorsport back to the front of the grid.
Seven Tenths of a Second will take readers behind the scenes and into the paddock and boardroom to explore how the team has fought its way back to the top under Zak’s leadership, and shine a light on what it takes to succeed in a sport that constantly pushes the boundaries of technology, innovation, and engineering.
Sharing stories and lessons acquired through a life in motorsport, Seven Tenths of a Second will offer unprecedented insights into life at McLaren Racing and beyond.
288 pages, Paperback
Published November 18, 2025
78 people are currently reading
1821 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 27, 2025
Very poorly written. Self-egrandising and really shows himself in a poor light, in my view. All the stuff about expecting people to work all hours of the day, even on holiday, just made me think he'd be an awful person to work for. Zak comes across as a very unlikable person in this book. The book claims to be about leadership, but demonstrates some of the worst traits of leadership I've ever seen, I worry people will read this book and think this is how they should lead their own people. There's no doubt Zak can get great commercial and sponsorship deals, which has certainly enabled the recent success as Mclaren. However, I get the impression that the sporting success has been achieved in spite of Zak, rather than because of him, and that the team works around him, tolerating him because of the money he brings in.
January 10, 2026
It's not the most elegantly written autobiography out there - rarely does a sentence exceed about ten words - but Zak Brown is hardly the most elegant speaker out there, so that's understandable. The whole thing has a sort of stream-of-consciousness feel, allowing for what feels like an authentic insight into Brown's mind, but which also results in a lot of repetition and dead-horse-beating that, if cut, would probably reduce Seven Tenths of a Second to the size of a pamphlet. The insights into his early life and pathway into the motorsport business are really interesting, but after he joins McLaren it becomes a bit of a whistle-stop tour, so I didn't come away with much new knowledge about 2019-2025.
December 26, 2025
The front cover summarises the book as being about life, leadership and formula 1, and it delivers. I knew very little about Zak Brown’s background before reading this book and found it really interesting to hear how he came into motorsports and business and what he’s learnt along the way. The structure works well with the introduction talking about the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which he returns to in the conclusion after summarising his key business mantras.
December 31, 2025
This book really surprised me in how inspiring an individual Zak Brown turns out to be. It’s a quick, easy and simply written read. To the point but achieving its goal, to entertain and enlighten you.
When you see people laughing and joking around an F1 paddock wearing nice watches and flying in at race circuits in helicopters you just assume it’s another person of immense privilege and an upper class upbringing.
But Zak’s story is an intriguing one, working class, proper go getter. School drop out but entrepreneurial at heart and persistent. It’s a fascinating story and one where I learnt about him as a person, his achievements and his leadership approach.
Recommended?: certainly if you’re an F1 fan. His background and his approach are fascinating, would have been even better with more race day anecdotes and more specifics. But his headline outcomes on sponsorship deal earnings, sales and financially rescuing McLaren were really interesting to read about.
When you see people laughing and joking around an F1 paddock wearing nice watches and flying in at race circuits in helicopters you just assume it’s another person of immense privilege and an upper class upbringing.
But Zak’s story is an intriguing one, working class, proper go getter. School drop out but entrepreneurial at heart and persistent. It’s a fascinating story and one where I learnt about him as a person, his achievements and his leadership approach.
Recommended?: certainly if you’re an F1 fan. His background and his approach are fascinating, would have been even better with more race day anecdotes and more specifics. But his headline outcomes on sponsorship deal earnings, sales and financially rescuing McLaren were really interesting to read about.
December 29, 2025
In the words of Christian Horner, “Zak’s just fucking annoying.”
January 6, 2026
Interesting read. Explains a lot about the man and his past and rise to fame and success.
It does get a bit repetitive sometimes, and it's written poorly with lots of past/present tense and spelling mistakes. I think it's done intentionally to show how Zak isn't academically clever so the editing has been limited (?) but it's a little distracting. Overall enjoyable though.
It does get a bit repetitive sometimes, and it's written poorly with lots of past/present tense and spelling mistakes. I think it's done intentionally to show how Zak isn't academically clever so the editing has been limited (?) but it's a little distracting. Overall enjoyable though.
December 29, 2025
Homework! By the Boss Man
December 14, 2025
A fascinating book about a captivating man. Reading this book will leave you respecting Zak more than before you had read it. The stories and tales of his journey from racer to McLaren CEO are captivating, interesting and seriously fun. This is not a literally masterpiece, do not expect Jane Austin.. if you are expecting that, leave now.. However, if you love racing, driven personalities, strong leadership and fun stories, this is the book for you. As you turn the pages, you are captivated by Zak, his stories, and his enthusiasm - the book is written exactly how you would expect him to speak, and as if he is talking to you directly. This is a great page turner than you can easily do in a day!
January 9, 2026
I initially presumed this was ghost written but I don't believe a professional writer did this. This is the most poorly written autobiography I've ever read.
The tense this is written in is a little odd. It's all present tense. Even when he's talking about his present life and flashes back to talk about his family life growing up, there is no change in tense. You jump back 40 years in a sentence and there's nothing in the way it is written to indicate that so it often doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
This book is also very repetitive. Sometimes sentences vritually identical in meaning will follow directly on from each other. When recurring themes or messages come up, they aren't explained or worded in a new way; they are just rehashed the same as they were 20 pages ago. It feels like he's trying to pad the word count.
In terms of the actual content, we hear about how Zak stalked baseball players as a child and when he finally meets his hero we're expected to admire his persistence and not think it's really fucking weird.
We also see how materialistic Zak is in this book. He talks about his planes and his cars and his sports memorabilia. When discussing how he reminds himself of the good things in life, you'd expect him to say he spends time with his family. Nope. He buys cars and spends time with famous sportspeople he is somehow friends with. While he goes into incredible detail on this, he skips over important details. He spends chapters hyping up how he wants to expand his business into F1 and then his first deal that he is so proud of is discussed for 2 sentences. It felt pointless and underwhelming.
My final gripe is that he refers to Claire Williams as a "former deputy team principal" which I found to be incredibly disrespectful and discrediting because while this is true, she did become the team principal after it. He's criticising what she's saying, which is fine, but he gets her title wrong and it feels either lazy or like he's trying to diminish her importance. A lot of the section where he disagrees with her feels quite patronising in retrospect. He talks about how her statement is ironic because she should know about how the Williams team operated in the 80s but she clearly know less than him.
The tense this is written in is a little odd. It's all present tense. Even when he's talking about his present life and flashes back to talk about his family life growing up, there is no change in tense. You jump back 40 years in a sentence and there's nothing in the way it is written to indicate that so it often doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
This book is also very repetitive. Sometimes sentences vritually identical in meaning will follow directly on from each other. When recurring themes or messages come up, they aren't explained or worded in a new way; they are just rehashed the same as they were 20 pages ago. It feels like he's trying to pad the word count.
In terms of the actual content, we hear about how Zak stalked baseball players as a child and when he finally meets his hero we're expected to admire his persistence and not think it's really fucking weird.
We also see how materialistic Zak is in this book. He talks about his planes and his cars and his sports memorabilia. When discussing how he reminds himself of the good things in life, you'd expect him to say he spends time with his family. Nope. He buys cars and spends time with famous sportspeople he is somehow friends with. While he goes into incredible detail on this, he skips over important details. He spends chapters hyping up how he wants to expand his business into F1 and then his first deal that he is so proud of is discussed for 2 sentences. It felt pointless and underwhelming.
My final gripe is that he refers to Claire Williams as a "former deputy team principal" which I found to be incredibly disrespectful and discrediting because while this is true, she did become the team principal after it. He's criticising what she's saying, which is fine, but he gets her title wrong and it feels either lazy or like he's trying to diminish her importance. A lot of the section where he disagrees with her feels quite patronising in retrospect. He talks about how her statement is ironic because she should know about how the Williams team operated in the 80s but she clearly know less than him.
January 18, 2026
Superb book packed with wisdom and lessons from Zak himself. Felt very raw and honest and provided a glimpse of what it takes to run a Formula 1 team behind the scenes. Here are 9 powerful quotes for the book:
1. I’ve never been afraid to ask. Deep down inside, I’m intimidated—but I do it anyway.
2. Sport is entertainment, and once you forget that, you’re in trouble.
3. Don’t grow up too fast, because you can’t get it back.
4. Ultimately, my dedication and feeling that failure is not an option differentiate me from the competition.
5. Integrity is number one on my list. I don’t mind if people don’t like me—but I never want my integrity called into question.
6. I believe I am unbeatable if I am on my game—but I know I can still lose.
7. One day, when you’re not carrying that business card, you’re going to find out who your friends are.
8. Andrea may ask the question to make sure everybody's thinking about it on pit wall. For sure, they would've been thinking about it because they are very smart people, and there wouldn't have been a different decision. As I've said before, I am the CEO, not the team principal, I don't want to pretend that I have a role I don't have (…) I'm also very comfortable with my authority and comfortable delegating; comfortable knowing that pit wall knows more than I'll ever know about the race strategy. He is telling everyone, 'Don't think we're perfect because we are not?' He focuses everyone on what we could do better and he doesn't do it in a demoralizing way. It's not like, 'Wow, is this guy never happy?' It's not like that. It's more that he emphasizes there is always room for improvement.
9. There is a thought that comes to me every day: it's not if we stop winning, it's when, right? This is sport. No one wins forever. So I wake up every day and I set myself the task of making sure we are still doing everything that we've done to get us where we are right now.
1. I’ve never been afraid to ask. Deep down inside, I’m intimidated—but I do it anyway.
2. Sport is entertainment, and once you forget that, you’re in trouble.
3. Don’t grow up too fast, because you can’t get it back.
4. Ultimately, my dedication and feeling that failure is not an option differentiate me from the competition.
5. Integrity is number one on my list. I don’t mind if people don’t like me—but I never want my integrity called into question.
6. I believe I am unbeatable if I am on my game—but I know I can still lose.
7. One day, when you’re not carrying that business card, you’re going to find out who your friends are.
8. Andrea may ask the question to make sure everybody's thinking about it on pit wall. For sure, they would've been thinking about it because they are very smart people, and there wouldn't have been a different decision. As I've said before, I am the CEO, not the team principal, I don't want to pretend that I have a role I don't have (…) I'm also very comfortable with my authority and comfortable delegating; comfortable knowing that pit wall knows more than I'll ever know about the race strategy. He is telling everyone, 'Don't think we're perfect because we are not?' He focuses everyone on what we could do better and he doesn't do it in a demoralizing way. It's not like, 'Wow, is this guy never happy?' It's not like that. It's more that he emphasizes there is always room for improvement.
9. There is a thought that comes to me every day: it's not if we stop winning, it's when, right? This is sport. No one wins forever. So I wake up every day and I set myself the task of making sure we are still doing everything that we've done to get us where we are right now.
December 3, 2025
Yes, I am a huge F1 fan, a Lando Norris fan, a Zak Brown fan, and consequently, a McLaren fan. But beyond that, the reason why I loved this book so much is that it was overflowing with Zak's life and professional experiences which gave me a huge positive boost. This is THE BOOK TO READ if you need motivation in your life (personal and professional), if you are looking for advice on how to advance in your career, and is filled with top-tier leadership advice. I will pick up next time I encounter a complication in my job, not knowing how to take on a situation. This book is so inspiring!
December 10, 2025
Interesting, not terrible, but doesn’t really scratch the itch of fans looking for insights into F1. Some good lessons in here but it also doesn’t move the needle as a business book either. The book feels a little lost, trying to hard to shoehorn into multiple categories and captivate multiple audiences, but falling short.
It’s worth a read. But I wouldn’t rush out to buy it and wouldn’t class it as a must read for F1 fans.
But there is certainly enough interest, especially if you want to learn about Zak Brown
It’s worth a read. But I wouldn’t rush out to buy it and wouldn’t class it as a must read for F1 fans.
But there is certainly enough interest, especially if you want to learn about Zak Brown
December 30, 2025
This was a bit of a surprise - it is funny when you hear some people’s back story and it doesn’t share much - but Zak’s background, struggles and lessons come over as honest, open and determined from a man who seems remarkably self aware. It doesn’t share many real stories about behind the scenes - I suppose because he is still in the industry firmly - but it doesn’t share many share the challenges and lessons he has learned from those in a very approachable way. I recommend it for F1 fans for sure.
January 3, 2026
Just finished Seven Tenths of a Second by Zak Brown and really enjoyed it. I came away with a lot more respect for McLaren and what goes on behind the scenes beyond race day.
What I appreciated most was Zak’s perspective on leadership, culture, and decision-making when the margins are incredibly small. It’s a good reminder that performance usually comes down to the little things done consistently, not one big moment.
Great read if you’re interested in leadership, teamwork, and how high-performing organizations actually operate when the pressure is on.
What I appreciated most was Zak’s perspective on leadership, culture, and decision-making when the margins are incredibly small. It’s a good reminder that performance usually comes down to the little things done consistently, not one big moment.
Great read if you’re interested in leadership, teamwork, and how high-performing organizations actually operate when the pressure is on.
January 12, 2026
Zak is a real marketer / sales type of guy. I found his academic mediocrity to be interesting in the context of his success. I doubt he is especially high IQ, but his EQ seems to have set him apart and made his success inevitable, when coupled with his immense grit. Zak is the type of guy anyone would be lucky to have in their corner, as he is extremely loyal, which perhaps is the greatest compliment that one can give. I think he has a very compelling leadership style as well, and one perhaps that ought to be emulated by more top CEOs.
December 28, 2025
Having been a fan of F1 and especially McLaren fir as long as I can remember, this is a book I had been writing to read since I knew it was being published.
Detailing Zak's very interesting background mixed I with, I guess, business/life hacks, it was a very enthralling read on both accounts.
Detailing Zak's very interesting background mixed I with, I guess, business/life hacks, it was a very enthralling read on both accounts.
January 1, 2026
I thought the history parts were informational. However, I am not a redbull fan, and never really liked Horner, but how many chapters can you talk about hating them. This book was interesting but made me like Zak Brown less and told me that Horner, Redbull, and Max live rent free in his head.
January 15, 2026
really enjoyed reading this ! I love Zak as a person but it's great to hear from his own words how he started and his work ethics and how he runs his team ECT . great book, great man .. go McLaren for 2026 !!
December 1, 2025
Dripping with ego
December 6, 2025
A lot of things to discover and learn about the mindset of someone who has made it to the top.
December 19, 2025
This was an interesting look at the man behind McLaren but I was so disappointed Zak didn’t narrate the audiobook 😭
(I have pinched one thing though and that’s stopping using asap!)
(I have pinched one thing though and that’s stopping using asap!)
January 2, 2026
I did like the book, definitely enjoyable for somebody who is f1 fan.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews